Amazon.com

Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman expose the fallacies of standard management thinking in First, Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently. In seven chapters, the two consultants for the Gallup Organization debunk some dearly held notions about management, such as "treat people as you like to be treated"; "people are capable of almost anything"; and "a manager's role is diminishing in today's economy." "Great managers are revolutionaries," the authors write. "This book will take you inside the minds of these managers to explain why they have toppled conventional wisdom and reveal the new truths they have forged in its place."

The authors have culled their observations from more than 80,000 interviews conducted by Gallup during the past 25 years. Quoting leaders such as basketball coach Phil Jackson, Buckingham and Coffman outline "four keys" to becoming an excellent manager: Finding the right fit for employees, focusing on strengths of employees, defining the right results, and selecting staff for talent--not just knowledge and skills. First, Break All the Rules offers specific techniques for helping people perform better on the job. For instance, the authors show ways to structure a trial period for a new worker and how to create a pay plan that rewards people for their expertise instead of how fast they climb the company ladder. "The point is to focus people toward performance," they write. "The manager is, and should be, totally responsible for this." Written in plain English and well organized, this book tells you exactly how to improve as a supervisor. --Dan Ring ... Read more

Reviews (172)

Common sense leadership
First Break all the rules addresses leadership from a common sense perspective. The twelve questions that reflect on your ability to effect productivity at the most intimate level of any process (the individual team member), are the common thread for discussion throughout this book.

With level of productivity as the measuring stick, leaders are encouraged to ask themselves if among other things, they provide direction, praise, materials, support, guidance, and opportunity for growth.

Buckningham and Coffman assert that good leaders don't try to make a silk purse from a sows ear. They suggest that you hire a sows ear where you need one and find silk to make the purse that you need. They contend that you can't change human nature, so why try. Trying to fill a deficit is more work than working with the positive aspects of your organization.

The authors also assert that good managers focus outwardly for change, and ask "why not." They focus on the strengths and manage around weaknesses. Good leaders know what types of talents that are needed at various levels of an organization; recruit to fill these positions, and develop those that you recruit.

The most useful part of this book is based on the lessons that mom taught you. Be nice. Treat people as individuals. Be flexible. Assert authority when necessary but more often than not, take a personal interest in those who are in control of how well your organization will measure up.

Must read for managers of all levels
If you think you can change people, think again. If you think one of a manager's job is to help people improve upon their weaknesses, think again. If you think climbing the corporate ladder is the best way to improve one's position in the corporate world, well, you got it, think again.

This book, written by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman, and based on 25 years of research by the Gallup Organization, on over 1 million respondents, has debunked a number of management "myths". I put myths in inverted commas simply because they were "truths" -- until First, Break All The Rules (published by Simon & Schuster, London, New York, 1999, ISBN 0-68486138-0) came along.

The Gallup Organization discovered, after asking one million people hundreds of different questions on the subject of managing others, that people excel only when their talents are put to use. Talents are the recurring patterns of thought and behavior that can't be turned on and off at will. They can't be created or altered. According to the authors, people don't change much. Managers should not waste time changing their subordinates, or making them into what they are not. You cannot give new talent to a person.

The books suggests that every human being has talent, and all roles/functions/jobs in a company require talent. You cannot train or develop talent, but you can train, develop and enhance skills and proficiencies. Talent leads to interest; interest leads to motivation; motivation leads to a desire to learn; a desire to learn leads to skills and proficiencies

As for the corporate ladder, the authors suggest that you should throw it away. For example, good sales person might not perform well if she is promoted to sales manager position. She might not have the talent to manage others. Instead, let her continue in the sales position, but improve upon the salary and benefits.

Finding the right fit
This book has become priceless to my business. I highly recommend it to any manager who is having trouble motivating and keeping key employees in today's business environment. Happy employees are productive employees and this book gave me ideas that I had never considered when it came down to placing and hiring the right employees . I also recommend Rat Race Relaxer: Your Potential & The Maze of Life by JoAnna Carey as a corporate gift to keep employees motivated throughout the year.

Great Managers help make great employees great
This is by far one of the best management books that I have ever read. The Gallup Organization puts a whole new spin on what makes a great manager great - helping their employees to succeed as well as finding the right "fit" for their talents. This books put a strong emphasis on the different between skills and knowledge, which can be trained and learned, and talents, which cannot. Talents are unique to every individual and will drive all of us to be better at different things. It is the managers job to help us identify and build on these things.
Buckingham and Coffman do a fantastic job at incorporating wisdom and advice from the 80,000 managers that they interviewed which makes this book much easier to relate to. Whether a manager who is looking to enhance their management style, or an employee who is looking for ways to improve themselves and their organization, this is tremendous and very quick read.

A Great book on Common Sense Management
When did we lose our common sense? In college? Whenever this happened (and whatever the cause), this book helps to reclaim our common sense when applied to the world of managing employees of small, medium, and large-based companies.

This book is essential reading for economics majors, MBA students, and those working in management. It cuts through the jargon and helps people realize that management requires an understanding of human nature. It returns us to psychology. After all, the business world is bound by the rules of psychology. Violate the rules and you may harm your business.

The book delivers harsh facts. Not all employees are going to do well at every task. Managers: stop thinking that everyone can do anything. They can't. It's unreasonable to believe it. It's better to create incentives -- both monetary and prestigue -- on the idea that someone may want to continue working in a similar capacity. The book cites attorneys who start out at a law firm at junior associate, associate, senior associate, and then work on to junior partner, partner, and senior partner. Throughout the process, the attorney does not radically change what he or she is doing. Instead, their work merely becomes more interesting and their pay (and equity in the firm) rises over time. That is, rather than promote someone to a position that is radically different from what they are doing, offer perks and monetary advantages as time goes on to your employees.

The book says to promote strengths rather than overcome employee weaknesses. Some people are just never going to be able to do well at certain tasks. The book's realistic edge says we ought to understand this and move on. We can't strive for perfectin in every avenue. Make sure that your employees are doing what they do best at. Therefore, the goals of the firm -- and the employees' morale, will coincide, allowing harmony to exist in the firm. This book has many golden nuggets of wisdom, and it definitely is a keeper.

Michael ... Read more

Book Description

Using metrics and making the business case for HR is no longer an option; it's becoming an absolute requirement for creating and maintaining a competitive advantage. Use HR Metrics to save your budget, and maybe your own career as you identify opportunities by measuring the success of your HR processes.

HR Metrics brings today’s HR executive quickly up to speed on the "New HR" - more measurable, more strategic, and more responsive than ever before to corporate profitability. Dr. Sullivan provides step-by-step guidance on how to establish credibility, forecast business needs, improve your organization’s competitiveness, and more!

You’ll learn to:

Identify the resources that can be shifted toward a business opportunity
Allocate resources into areas of high opportunity and away from low-return areas
Remove barriers to rapid movement of resources
Identify the changes the market may require
Recruit management support – and more!
Included is a 75 minute CD recording of HR Metrics Audio Conference, Level I. ... Read more

Book Description

Imagine everything you'd ever need to start up and run your own small business packed into one convenient, easy-to-read book. Throw in a CD-ROM with more than 250 documents and forms, along with trial versions of great small business software programs, and you've got the new Small Business Kit For Dummies, your perfect resource for the daunting process of starting a small business venture.

Small Business Kit For Dummies is chock-full of information, resources, and helpful hints on making the transition from a great idea to a great business. This book has plenty of straightforward advice on things that an MBA degree won't get you, from the basics of mastering legal, financial, employment, and management hurdles to advanced topics on business plans and strategies, accounting, contracts, taxes, attracting investors, and putting your business onto the Web. Whether you expect your business to become the next Microsoft or you've set your sights on a more modest goal, you'll find comprehensive and authoritative counsel -- without all the confusing jargon and legalese -- in this fun and friendly guide to the world of small business success. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Good, but slowly being replaced by online resources
This a good book, don't get me wrong. However, having been edited back in 1998, and being -as it is- largely focused on the documents that you, as a Small Business Owner, are likely to be in need of, it now seems a bit outdated and old-fashioned when you compare if with the ease with which you can get (for free) similar formats (business plans, marketing plans, invoices, etc.) online (in office.microsoft.com > Templates, for instance). It is a good reference of what to look for, though, which is why I give it 4 stars.

Great for those starting their business
It's great to see a book written by an attorney who also understands business.

Too many other books out there are written by amateur business people who's real business is in promoting and selling lousy books.

The CD-Rom will save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars and time.

Also recommend "The Small Business Kit" and "How to Incorporate in any State" by J.W. Dicks, another attorney and businessman with real world knowledge.

Good luck with your business!

SmallBizBargains.com gives it a thumbs up!
A few of the staff at [online business] have used this book to help the start previous businesses. We feature it on our site because we have found it so helpful. It is both simple and comprehensive - a great book for those starting or running a business.

The basics of business
This book is helpful for those wishing to start their own business but are unsure where to start. The concise writing answers most of the questions one can think of. This book, along with Guerilla PR Wired by Michael Levine, should be all that a young entrepeneur needs.

The business basics, but it takes more to succeed.
The forms and basics are essential for getting your small business off to the right start. But entrepreneurs must also be aware that even the best business plan will not be effective unless it also includes a carefully crafted marketing plan that includes publicity. There are wonderful, easy-to-do and inexpensive ways for small business owners to promote their services and to distinguish themselves from the competition. This book and a solid publicity plan are a great way to start ! ... Read more

Book Description

Since publication in 1996 there have been tremendous advances in business and management which have necessitated the development of a new, improved second edition. IEBM 2nd Edition addresses these advances by updating all existing material as well as adding a great deal more. This revision means that the printed encyclopedia now fills 8 volumes with fifty percent more entries and four million words. Additional countries are profiled in the new edition and there are even more biographical profiles of influential management thinkers, making IEBM 2nd Edition bigger and better than ever. Full-length entries, equivalent to any secondary critical work or journal paper, serve as excellent introductions to the debates and literature of a given topic or concept. Each entry is fully cross-referenced and a further reading section is carefully annotated to indicate the level and importance of the work cited which proves especially useful for the student to take their research further. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A book to complete any businesss library.
Without this book all business libraries are incomplete.With articles rangeing from the biographies of such legends as Bill Gates to fully referenced and peer reviewed articles on world regions and their economic statuses and of course a thorough grounding in the business basics.This not only superseeds the first edition but comprehensively betters it. ... Read more

Book Description

Organize a powerful, effective business presentation and deliver it with style! Say it with Presentations helps you define why you're giving the presentation and the audience you need to convince. This compelling, comprehensive presentation toolkit tells you when, why, and how to use humor, and, yes, silence to get your points across...how to make the most of visuals...set up facilities and equipment...and rehearse to communicate your confidence, conviction and enthusiasm, and much, much more.

Reviews (6)

Not With It
This book is more in tune with older thought on delivering presentations than it is with today. I also found the hand drawings of trying to make putting winning graphics together as child's play somewhat silly. There are many other better books out there, such as "Presentation Skills for Managers" that are more in tune with the times, and less like treating the reader as a child. I found Mr. Zelazny's other book "Say It With Charts" to be more useful.

Successful Presentations
This book is the best and gave me valuable tips to make effective presentation. Knowing how to communicate effectively, I can improve my teaching style. When I translate text pages into a brief presentation visual, my creativity enhance.

Reccomend highly
If you have to do presentations, chances are you don't have much time to wade through literature about how. Many books exist on the subject; this has got to be one of the best - covers basically all you need to know about How and Why rather than What. Zelazny helps the reader to find his/her own way, which is ultimately better than being spoon fed as in the disappointingly dry "McGraw-Hill One Day Workshop on Presentation Skills"

Buy this book if you rely on giving presentations for your job. Even if you are facing a one-off crisis presentation, this book can be read fast enough to offer concrete help immediately.

Oh - it's fun an humorous too. But a bit expensive.

Useful, but just for beginners
I am a strategic consultant and I founded the book too simple. It is highly recomended (together with "Say it with charts") if you are brand new in a consultancy firm or, because of your job, you occasionally have to do professional presentations and you want to acquire a basic methodology. It is a good book for starters, but presentations is kind of an art and it is a skill difficult to get.

Real help for you, the presenter
Say It With Presentations steps beyond the "How to give a speech" story of its peers. Gene shows us what works, why it works, and, most importantly, how we can all make it work. I have not seen a better book for giving business presentations than this and don't expect to find one.

The secret is simplicity.

Following his own advice, Gene makes the book simple and has simple examples and arguments for ideas that are soooooo tempting to complicate.

This is not a book to read. It is a manual to review, a guide to follow, a resource for self help, and a reminder of the rights of the audience.

Most importantly, it is fun to refer back to constantly both before and after presentations. ... Read more

Book Description

Using a unique modular approach, this cutting-edge introduction to data communications features 12 core chapters of essential material, 6 advanced modules, and a Companion Website to provide the widest possible range of topics.Plus, 9 mini-chapters for hands-on material and case studies give learners a feel for what they will encounter on the job. For future networking professionals. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Six Stars!
I've recently completed a course using this textbook. Excellent!!! It has been a long time (if ever) since I have actually enjoyed reading a textbook. I feel it should be mandatory reading for all authors and potential authors who will ever feel the need to publish a textbook for undergraduate level work in a technical field.

Most of the many corrections on the online corrections page are minor and insignificant (i.e. typos) and would probably go unnoticed by the reader. With press deadlines in technologies being what they are, it is fully understandable. The choice to include those corrections (a) gave me a sense of security in that it demonstrated the author's thoroughness and (b) proves that you don't have to cut a new edition of your work every six months (which can be quite annoying for anyone who is looking to get a specific edition for class).

I was pretty much convinced that it was impossible to design and publish a textbook in a technical field of a caliber such as this. In general, technical authors either confuse the reader by over complicating the layout and material or they put the reader to sleep by being overly shallow and overly redundant. This is not the case for this book. In the words of Goldilocks, this one is "just right". I strongly recommend it to anyone, whether they have a class requirement for it or not.

Great Book, using in my PSU networking class
This book is great, it starts from the beginning of the networking age and goes through all the newest technologies and ideas about networking. Covers the business aspects of networking, wireless, how TCP/IP works and pretty muct the 802 standars. Book covers everything, this is one book I won't be selling back. A really good reference book for the basics of networking and rules to follow as well when getting into the networking field.

Great Book, but Check Author's Web Site for Corrections
I just finished a semester with this book. Loved it! I didn't think I'd every say that about a textbook, but this one really makes it easy to remember the material. It does so by quizzing you at the end of every section instead of just waiting until the end of the chapter. I found that it significantly improved my retention rate.

I will however caution you that there are errors present in many of the chapters. The errors I came across looked like they were mainly due to poor editing and validation of the technical material. I STRONGLY recommend that you go to the author's web site as he quickly posts any and all corrections by chapter.

For ... dollars, you'd think that the book's publisher, Prentice Hall, would have reviewed the book a bit more thoroughly before publication.

Errors aside, this is a great book that will mostly likely improve further with the next edition.

Ed

Great book -- clearly written by a Teacher
Not only does this book cover network essentials, it is presented in a way that actually promotes learning (!) While this may seem an obvious goal, the author of this book clearly puts great effort into presenting the information in a meaningful way (most books on this subject lack this care). I'd highly recommend this to students, or even to practicioners who would like a refresher or general reference on data communications.

Great Overview of Data Communications
We used this book in my graduate MIS course, and it was a great tool for learning the basics about data communications and networking. Many of my classmates thought that Panko did a great job of explaining data comm concepts, whether it was something as simple as an ethernet LAN, or as complex as an ATM network. Everyone in my class seemed to enjoy the text (both highly technical students with a background in data comms, and students who were learning the material for the first time).

The book is designed to give readers a general overview of a subject, then drill down into the details in later chapters. He starts with the basics (layers, encapsulation, protocols, etc), and then gets into how networks are built from the ground up. Panko has included numerous modules at the end of the book if you want to learn even more about a specific topic.

The author has also put together slides for each chapter which were very helpful in explaining difficult concepts, or emphasizing certain chapters in the text. If you can get a copy of them, I highly recommend using them.

I recommend this book for anyone looking for a way to learn a lot about data communications and networking. This book covers the gamut from LAN to WAN technology, packet switching, ATM networks, frames, IP addresses, etc. It can also serve as a tremendous reference if you need to review a topic later on down the road. ... Read more

Book Description

Since 1993, the Information Security Management Handbook has served not only as an everyday reference for information security practitioners but also as an important document for conducting the intense review necessary to prepare for the Certified Information System Security Professional (CISSP) examination. Now completely revised and updated and in its fifth edition, the handbook maps the ten domains of the Information Security Common Body of Knowledge and provides a complete understanding of all the items in it. This is a "must have" book, both for preparing for the CISSP exam and as a comprehensive, up-to-date reference. ... Read more

Reviews (32)

Not written as an exam guide & is Vol 1 of 3 volumes
This book is a collection of papers that covers the ten domains of the Common Body of Knowledge (CBK) Generally Accepted Systems Security Principles (GASSP). As a compendium of knowledge from acknowledged experts this book represents an exceptionally valuable tool for security practitioners, and because the papers are grouped by CBK domain, it is also a useful study aid for anyone who is pursuing CISSP certification.

The papers, individually and collectively, contain a wealth of information. However, anyone who wants to use this book as a resource for preparing for the CISSP exam should know that this book is Volume 1 of a three volume set. Moreover, this is not a book that was written as a study guide as much as a professional reference, and it isn't the only book a CISSP candidate should read.

For the practitioner this book is an excellent investment because it does cover all ten CBK domains in great detail. However, I recommend investing in the CD ROM version of this book (Information Security Management Handbook on CD-ROM, ISBN 0849312345), which contains this book and Volumes 2 and 3. The CD ROM is more up-to-date and is more convenient then three books that combined contain nearly 2000 pages.

Regardless of whether you opt for this book or the CD ROM, you'll gain a wealth of knowledge from this book and if used in conjunction with other sources of information you will be well prepared to pass the CISSP exam.

CD ROM version significantly different from paper version
Don't confuse this CD ROM with the book that is being sold under the same title (ISBN 0849398290) because there are some major differences besides the media on which the material is provided.

The book is actually Volume 1 of the Information Security Handbook, Fourth Edition. This CD ROM contains Volume 1, plus Volumes 2 and 3 of the handbook, making it a more complete compilation of the material that encompasses the ten domains of the Common Body of Knowledge (CBK) of Generally Accepted Systems Security Principles (GASSP). See the product page for Volume 1 for reviews and a complete description of that subset of this CD ROM.

Volumes 2 and 3, like Volume 1 are aligned to the ten domains, but have more up-to-date material and new papers addressing a wider array of topics. Moreover, CISSP candidates will find a great deal more study material, and working practitioners will find information that covers emerging trends and technologies that have surfaced since Volume 1 was published.

The new or expanded material of the two additional volumes on this CD ROM are:

Volume 2 - (published in 2000), goes deeper in network security, but also covers interesting topics such as single-signon (will be of particular interest to organizations implementing LDAP), centralized authentication, and related topics in addition to newer coverage in each of the ten CBKs.

Volume 2 (published in 2001), is an overall update for each of the CBKs and contains a lot of fresh material that is fair game for CISSP exam questions, as well as a compendium of fresh material for practitioners.

In addition to the convenience of having all of this material on a CD ROM vs. over ten pounds of paper, the contents are searchable using the built in search facility, and can be printed when hard copy is required. This is a nice feature for consultants who can bring a wealth of reference material on site for quick cross-referencing during assessments or developing action plans that are consistent with the GASSP. Of course, the fact that this collection is more complete, comprehensive and up-to-date than the book by the same title makes this an attractive choice for anyone who requires working references or wants to prepare for the CISSP examination.

Excellent reference!
Excellent reference!

This is an excellent security reference!

If you are looking for a pure CISSP prep book, this is not the best. But for general info sec, this is an awesome book.

A Must for Information Security
This CD is a must for all CISSPs and those who wish to become one. This CD ROM also has material not found in the printed format.

Good supplemental reading for the Security dude
This book gives good supplemental reading about the 10 domains. It is a must read for the CISSP candidate, but don't depend on it entirely. The chapters are well written, thought provoking and topical. You need it on your shelf if you're a real security person. ... Read more

Book Description

This much acclaimed text has been fully updated to incorporate the latest advances in the field.As leading authorities on adult education and training, Elwood Holton and Dick Swanson have revised this edition building on the work of the late Malcolm Knolwes.

Keeping to the practical format of the last edition, this book is divided into three parts.The first part contains the classic chapters that describe the roots and principles of andragogy, including a new chapter, which presents Knowles program planning model.The second part focuses on the advancements in adult learning with each chapter fully revised updated, incorporating a major expansion of Androgogy in Practice.The last part of the book will contain an updated selection of topical readings that advance the theory and will include the HRD style inventory developed by Dr. Knowles.

This new edition is essential reading for adult learning practitioners and students and HRD professionals.It provides a theoretical framework for understanding the adult learning issues both in the teaching and workplace environments.

* Definitive classic, 5th edition sold over 20,000 copies.
* Essential reading for a wide audience of practitioners and students in the field of adult learning and human resource development.
* Incorporates Knowles'classic theories on adult learning alongside the latest advances in the field. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Andragogy for the 21st century
Since the term "andragogy" was first coined, several theoretical schools have developed around the topic of adult learning.This book provides a context for Knowles' ideas about andragogy and demonstrates the relevance of his ideas in the 21st century.

Unreadable
This book was the text for an adult learning course, and all 300+ students judged the book to be incomprehensible.So many complaints were received that the instructor apologized,saying it was the only book the school could find.There is good information in this book, but you need dynamite to unearth it.I have a better than average vocabulary, but I had to keep a dictionary by my side as I read, and even then I found words from the text for which I could find no definition.Some chapters had to be read 4 times before I understood the authors' message.Reading this book was a guarantee for a nap or a headache.Please, somebody stop this book before it kills again!

very comprehensive look at adult learning theory
This book is like a one-stop shopping guide to Adult education. It is so comprehensive that I doubt it leaves out one development in the history of adult education.My only warning is that the opening chapters which basically trace many theories of learning (both adult and traditional) are hard to get through -- it reads more like a research paper that summarizes every major educational theory since the beginning of time.But, if you don't want to know that much, you can simply skip these chapters and get right to the meat of the adult learning theories which are more appropos.For those who need a quick primer on learning theories, you'll love the first few chapters for their abundance of quick summary information.A useful guide to adult education.

Excellent primer of Adult Learning Theory
Malcolm Knowles is known as the "Grandfather of Adult Education" in many circles, and this update of his original book does him justice. I recommend the book as a primary resource for people looking for informationabout how adults learn (adult learning theory), as well as what works andhow to make it work in different situations.

An essential read for HRD professionals and adult educators
For those new to Knowles work, this book really is a 'must'.It takes the reader through the essentials of adult education, both in the traditional environments of adult education and in settings such as the workplace. Itprovides a theoretical framework for understanding the adult learningissues faced by professional educators each day, and also offerssignificant guidance on future practice. To those who have read pasteditions of the book, as I have, you will find the Swanson and Holton worktrue to the spirit of Knowles, and the two authors have introduced morethan enough new material to justify buying this Fifth Edition. ... Read more

Reviews (56)

Kudos for Karen Pryor's Honesty
"Don't Shoot the Dog" is the best comprehensive guide I know of that encourages the use of Positive Reinforcement. There is no question that PR goes a long way and should always be used as a first option (with both animals and people). Karen Pryor's honesty in this book is to be applauded. While she champions using PR as far as it works to produce the desired result, she realistically acknowledges that PR does not always work. As a dog trainer and author using a balanced approach, I find her candor and her desire to make the world a better place for dogs and people quite noble. If all we needed in our relationships with dogs and people was to find the right reward, this would be the only book we would need.

The structure of the book is easy to follow, and along with emphasizing PR, also gives excellent advice about the crucial element of timing in training. I also find this book useful as a tool to help people decide NOT to use muzzle restraining devices. If a dog training student of mine is thinking of using a muzzle restraining device on a dog, I have the student read Karen's comments about restraint as the bottom of page 101. Her clearly stated explanation hits the nail right on the head. Restraining has its place, but it isn't training.

Karen's comments about rewarding the wrong behavior also makes a lot of sense. Our leaders in government would benefit from her political applications of her principles.

If you have a submissive dog, GET THIS BOOK, though...
it is about behavior modification and not dog training per se.
Don't Shoot the Dog! is the best fundamental description of behaviorism I have ever read. My husband and I have used its principles in training our extremely submissive and abused by a former owner Jack Russell terrier to develop some mental health. This is not a cookbook, it is a philosophy. Pryor does not endorse pure behaviorism; in her work with dolphins described in Lads Before the Wind, she writes extensively about her philosophy falling between that of Konrad Lorenz, the ethologist, and B.F. Skinner. There are hard wired behavior traits present in all species and using operant conditioning via a method like clicker training actually uses those traits to the trainer's advantage, never forgetting that there are some instincts that are so hard wired that they are impossible to overcome. This training is not necessarily an easy to do BECAUSE IT REQUIRES REAL INSIGHT, PATIENCE AND SENSITIVITY ON THE PART OF THE TRAINER! Our dog had been beaten for being a submissive urinator which -- gues what!! -- made her more of a submissive urinator. Three months of hard work following the philosophy of this book have helped immensely. This book has applications in all of our dealings with other sensient beings.

Now: Someone that actually read the book
Believe me when I tell you that those that criticized this book never read it and integrated its principles. Instead, these are people that might have vast experience with different systems that give them good results. The techniques they use have become second nature to them. They conclude: my system is different, my system works, therefore every thing else is crap. One reviewer rambled about how it mainly applies to dolphins because they are confined to a tank. The kindest thing I can say about him is that he never read DON'T SHOOT THE DOG. If he did, I would have to insult his reading comprehension. Little of what he rants about is even in the book. Instead of ranting about hearsay on the somewhat different topic of clicker training, allow me to tell you about "Don't Shoot the Dog". This book teaches far reaching techniques with universal application. I have trained dogs, horses, and wild caught birds of prey (which were flown free daily not confined to pools or tanks). Though I understand alpha dog training, use negative reinforcement, and have employed many successful techniques, this is one of my all time top 10 books on any subject and it is a MUST READ even for those that will never own a pet. Karen Pryor was in fact a trainer at Sea World but contrary to the title this book is not about the specifics of animal training. It is instead a handbook on behavioral modification complete with an introduction written by B.F. Skinner, the father of behavioral psychology. While he was not a man without faults, he was a huge contributor to some profoundly simplified techniques for modifying behavior. While an easy read (one long afternoon) the power of this book lies in studying the principles and then training yourself to modify behavior. In an entraining and practical manner Karen explains a principle, explains its applications and LIMITATIONS and then gives a scenario that illustrates how to apply this principle with an animal, an adult, and a child. A lay person soon learns that most instinctive responses to unwanted behavior are non productive. We have many roles in life and it is a rare person in which some of these roles don't require us to influence behavior. While people are not animals, behavior modification is behavior modification and we all use it. Unfortunately, more often than not we make critical mistakes that result in the opposite result we want and expect. I read this book 10 years ago. As soon as I did I wished I had read it about 25 years sooner. It brought greater success to training at opposite ends of the animal kingdom. It worked on free flying wild birds of prey that are not social creatures and interpret any negative reinforcement as a death threat. These wild animals can easily leave the trainer and return to the wild to fend for themselves. They get this chance every day. In fact it is nothing but unnatural that they will return from being a tiny speck in the sky just from operant conditioning and positive reinforcement. More amazing, they can be properly trained to do this within 10 days of being trapped from the wild, so much for the hilarious comment about it won't work on things that can run loose like dogs. Speaking of dogs, I have used it on Setters and Springer's not to mention a very strong willed, male Jack Russell Terrier, with a well developed alpha dog mentality. Karen never implies that negative reinforcement is not a legitimate tool. She simply fine tunes its use, timing, and consistency to give you an even more powerful tool. The principles in this book have greatly enhanced what was decades of successful training. Finally, don't under estimate these principles when it comes to inter- personal relationships. If you do, you missed a great part of what makes this a must read.

not just for the dogs
I've read quite a few dog behavior, training and intelligence books and always had this on the to read list because of its reputation of being the "bible" of dog training. But I didn't really want to read it because of the title, and hey, the cover isn't too imaginitive either. I know don't judge a book by a cover, but to be honest, reading has a sensual side too -- good clean lines, fits nice in the hands, smooth paper. You bookaholics know what I'm saying.

So, I finally got around to reading this and I can see why people say this book is life-changing. Pryor spent very little time talking about dogs specifically but showed many examples on how these methods could be used with people with disabilities, your own kids, spouse, cat etc.

I'm a trainer's assistant at a dog obedience school, and as I read this, it all looked familiar. It is basically the foundation philosophy of our school. It's a method of communication. A way to build a relationship and communicate what you want from your dog in a positive, punishment-free manner. Reading this book helped me clarify why we at the school do things as we do. And as I finished the book, I was thinking of one of the comments a woman made at a trainer's funeral. The gist was that she had learned from his gentle approach to the dogs, and this had spread to the way she approached people as well.

It's true. "Clicker training" as some people call this training philosophy will spill outside of your doggy life and into other areas... if you come to this as a dog trainer. As a dog trainer, your dog doesn't sit when you say sit. Instead of getting mad and saying sit sit sit! jerking on the collar or pushing on the butt, first you think "does my dog understand 'sit?'" Then you'd break it down into it's components -- sit is an action (head goes up, butt goes down) and responding to the command requires that 1. the dog knows the action 2. the dog knows the word is connected to the action. Then you'd find a way to get your dog past whatever is hanging him up. So, if this is your habitual style of response to other's "mistakes," you will start to develop patience, compassion and clear communication. And those skills will take you far in life.

And extra bonus -- besides learning training methods, you'll read alot of funny anecdotes about frisbee-playing elephants and bell-ringing hermit crabs too.

great primer on operant conditioning
This book explains the philosophy behind operant conditioning, as well as giving basic tips on how to work WITH your dog (or other trainee--this method can be used on cats, people, fish...).

I'm grateful to the people who directed me toward positive training. Visit Karen Pryor's website or clickersolutions.com to learn more about clicker training and positive pet interactions. ... Read more

Book Description

More than just a how-to book for the 21st Century, Re-imagine! is a call to arms -- a passionate wake-up call for the business world, educators, and society as a whole. Focusing on how the business climate has changed, this inspirational book outlines how the new world of business works, explores radical ways of overcoming outdated, traditional company values, and embraces an aggressive strategy that empowers talent and brand-driven organizations where everyone has a voice. ... Read more

Reviews (46)

Well...DUH!
Peters's brilliant "new" idea about "re-inventing" business? Technology! Specifically, using the web and wireless communications to speed things along, eliminate middle men, and sift through unneccessary bureaucratic clutter.

To say this isn't necessarily a new idea would be understating the situation, but what is really frustrating is that Peters seems intent on reiterating this non-revolutionary ideal, over and over and over and over and over, ad-nauseum, throughout the tedious 256 pages that comprise this book. Additionally cumbersome is the flipped-out way the book is designed. Much style over substance here, and it seems as if the publishers of this book might be taking some sadistic pleasure in making it as difficult to read as possible.

While I enjoy most DK books (travel guides, reference, etc...), the subject matter here is an ill-fit for their style of publication.

I was terrifically disappointed with this book and would advise anyone I know who wanted to learn more about the world of modern business to look elsewhere for substancial information.

The first coffee table business book?
The world needs more leaders - not MBAs (More Boring Anal - ists)

I confess that am a big fan of Peter's previous work - most of which is recycled in this book - He still inspires me and challanges the status quo orientated world of business management.

This book gets a 5* from me not for new ideas, but because I love the packaging. Tom has re-imagined the concept of a business book brilliant! The whole books shouts LOOK AT ME! And, it need a place in every reception, coffee bar and board room.

So many businesses are stuck in old ways of doing things. Even when they know what to do, they still don't do what they know.

I'm sure many people will hate this book and criticise Peter's for recycling and lack of new content. My opinion is that he is trying to do more of what he does best - WAKE PEOPLE UP.

If you already run a business that is doing everything espoused in this book, or .... if you think there are any newer ideas that superceed Peter's opinions on leadership, service and innovation .... or if if you can truly recommend authors who have broken new ground, that seeks to transform peoples business thinking (rather than recycling the same 30 year old stuff on strategic planning and management) then let us know about it - 'til then put up or re-think! yourself!!

And, BTW I also love the Audi A4, my Powerbook, my IPod and R50 pentel's!!

Interesting but hard on the arm muscles
This is a wild collection of Tom Peters thoughts culled from his portfolio of Powerpoint slides.

I particularly liked the Chapter on Education - both the current workforce & the future workforce.

For all the boasting he made about his new partnership with Dorling Kindersley, I found the book too heavy, and the key "Contrast" Summary tables at the end of each Chapter were printed White feint on a bright Red background - very hard to read - DK should know better.

the greatest business book of the year (no really!)
As a budding entrepreneur I've read a lot of business books in the past 4 years. So I can't quite understand how it is that I've never read a tompeters! book until now.
From other reviews I've seen here, it would appear that some of the material is an updated version of stuff that's been said/written/blogged before - but really, so what? This is an absolutely fantastic book that covers so much ground.
Design, boomers, marketing to women, sales, Talent, branding and of course the future.

This is not only crammed full of content it is an absolute pleasure to read. The design of this book is wonderful - not at all what you'd expect for a 'business' book.
Colour & loads of it, sidebars on every page linked to the main text, images that complement & stories galore.

I normally read with a highlighter, you know 'just the important stuff' to aid re-reading & wisdom-retention. That's the only bad thing about this book - you can't shorten it, summarise it or give the highlights. There's just so much on every page. Examples, stories, links to books or people or web pages.

The future is going to be vastly different than most of us have been preparing for - there aren't many better guides than tom peters (seth godin, dan sullivan & ricardo semlar would be my pick alongside tp)

Read this book. Please! And then read lovemarks.

Chaotic Compilation of Crusading Canon
If you have never read any of Tom Peters' books, you can skip the earlier ones and just read this one.

If you have read all of his earlier books, you can skip this one.

If you have read some of the earlier books, you can just read the topics in this one that are skipped in the earlier ones you have read. I suspect that that won't be too many.

Tom Peters is our most passionate management guru. He explodes all over his audience in anger, annoyance, passion and rapture. It's a marvelous show . . . and I highly recommend it.

He's also open to new ideas. This book, for instance, gratefully acknowledges contributions from dozens of other authors, CEOs, business thinkers and members of his own family (especially his wife). If you don't read very many business books, I was impressed to see that he cited a very high percentage of the best management books of the last dozen years or so. So if you have read very little on the subject, this book will serve you well.

As intriguing as the book is, it has important limitations. First, the format can be all but impossible to read (especially where text is printed over grey images) in places.

Second, he has blind spots in several areas that make the advice come out somewhat jaundiced. For instance, he hates anything to do with eliminating errors (such as the quality movement and Six Sigma) as though using those methods destroy any chance for innovation in any other area. In my research, I've seen innovation in every dimension of a company exist just fine side-by-side with efforts to eliminate errors and improve quality, whenever different people worked on different aspects of innovation from those working on quality improvement and error elimination.

He correctly points out that women are underestimated and under-served as customers. But in big companies, men still run the show (except at a few bellwethers like Avon Products) . . . and he just ignores the question of how to market to influential men as though it were irrelevant.

Finally, he's been traveling in the exalted circles of the biggest, most influential people and companies for so long that he doesn't have any new examples from the top up-and-coming performers or any new guidance for start-ups. So he's unfortunately dated in his illustrations. That makes the message one that seems to be tame . . . because it is aimed at those who can feel safe in ignoring it as they sit in their palatial suites in the largest companies.

The story is amazingly redundant in the book. There's a microcosm of virtually the whole message of the book in almost every chapter. The repetition is primarily helpful for persuasiveness. It is annoying though if you already get the message.

You can boil the book down to this message: Innovation rules. You need to get off-beat people to work on innovation to have a chance. Everyone's job is innovation. Passion drives successful innovation by creating beautiful, simple systems and wonderful emotional experiences for customers and employees. The leader's job is to create an environment for such innovation. Be ready to fall down, pick yourself up, and try again. Focus your innovation as much as possible on those areas where few others are looking. ... Read more

Book Description

The Harvard Business Review paperback series is designed to bring today's managers and professionals the fundamental information they need to stay competitive in a fast-moving world. Here are the landmark ideas that have established the Harvard Business Review as required reading for ambitious businesspeople in organizations around the globe. The eight articles in Harvard Business Review on Knowledge Management highlight the leading-edge thinking and practical applications that are defining the field of knowledge management. Includes Peter Drucker's prophetic "The Coming of the New Organization" and Ikujiro Nonaka's "Knowledge-Creating Company." ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Knowledge Management, a layperson's perspective
Knowledge Management, published by Harvard Business School Press, is a compilation of articles excerpted from the Harvard Business Review covering a period from 1988-1997. The articles in general focus on the way organizations can acquire, use, and maintain knowledge in order to remain on the cutting edge of their fields. The underlying message of this book, expressed by Peter F. Drucker in "The Coming of the New Organization (page 1)," is that future organizations must take advantage of technology to collect and track data so that data can be translated into useful information.

The manner in which companies acquire knowledge from data can vary. Ikujiro Nonaka in his article "The Knowledge Creating Company (page 21)" provides a general approach. Nonaka suggests that creating new knowledge requires, in addition to the processing of objective information, tapping into the intuitions insights and hunches of individual employees and then making it available for use in the whole organization. Within this framework is an understanding of two types of knowledge: tacit and explicit. Both of these have to exist in an organization and exchange between and within each type is needed for creation of new knowledge. Another point in Nonaka's article is that the creation of new knowledge is not limited to one department or group but can occur at any level. It requires a system that encourages frequent dialogue and communication. Similar but more defined ideas are presented in David Garvin's "Building a Learning Organization (page 47)."

Garvin's approach focuses on the importance of having an organization that learns. Garvin defines a learning organization as one that is "skilled at creating, acquiring, and transferring knowledge, and at modifying its behavior to reflect new knowledge and insights (page 51)." He describes five activities/skills that are the foundation for learning organizations. These are systematic problem solving, experimentation, and review of past experiences, learning from others, and transferring knowledge.

"Teaching Smart People How to Learn (page 81)" by Chris Argyris, deals with the way individuals within an organization can block the acquisition of new knowledge because of the way they reason about their behavior. In order to foster learning behavior in all employees, an organization must encourage productive reasoning. One caution is that use of productive reasoning can be threatening and actually hampers the process of learning if not implemented throughout the whole organization.

Leonard and Straus in "Putting Your Company's Whole Brain to Work (page 109)," address another way in which knowledge can be acquired. They identify two broad categories: left brained and right brained individuals, with different approaches to the same concept based on cognitive differences. Within these categories, there is great potential for conflict, which can stifle the creative process. However these different perspectives are important for full development of a new concept. Innovative companies should keep a balance of these different personality types to avoid stagnation and to encourage development of new ideas. The management of the cognitive types in a way that is productive for the company occurs through the process of creative abrasion.

One can surmise from the articles in general that data and information are valuable if they can be used to maintain the knowledge base or provide the basis for acquiring new knowledge. The organization that creates new knowledge encourages the following in its employees: creativity, a commitment to the goals of the organization, self-discipline, self-motivation, and individual exploration and identification of behaviors that may be barriers to learning. Cognitive preferences should be recognized and used to the companies' advantage. Finally, companies can learn from the best practices of others and from their customers. After knowledge is acquired, it can be disseminated for use throughout the organization and maintained in different ways.

One key method to maintain knowledge repeated in several articles is the importance of an environment that fosters innovation. Quinn et al, in "Managing Professional Intellect: Making the Most of the Best (page 181)," describe this as creating a culture of self-motivated creativity within an organization. There are several ways to do this: recruitment of the best for that field, forcing intensive early development (exposing new employees early to complex problems they have to solve), increasing professional challenges and rigorous evaluations.

Another way to maintain and use knowledge is through pioneering research, described by Brown in "Research that reinvents the Corporation (page 153)." In this process companies can combine basic research practices, with its new and fresh solutions, and applied research to the company's most pressing problems. Dissemination of new knowledge can occur by letting the employees experience the new innovation and so own it. As mentioned in the article by Nonaka, creation of a model that represents the new information is a way for transfer to the rest of the organization. Also the knowledge from the professional intellect within an organization can be transferred into the organization's systems, databases and operating technologies and so made available to others within the organization. An example of this is Merryl Lynch, which uses a database of regularly updated information to link its 18,000 agents.

Yet another tool for disseminating information within an organization is the learning history, described by Kleiner and Roth in "How to Make Experience Your Company's Best Teacher (page 137)." This makes use of the ages old community practice of storytelling to pass on lessons and traditions. The learning history collects data from a previous experience with insight from different levels of employees involved and puts it together in the form of a story that can be used in discussion groups within the organization. In companies where this has been used, it builds trust, provides an opportunity for collective reflection, and can be an effective way to transfer knowledge from one part of the company to another. In addition, incentives in the form of a report in response to the new innovation and achievement awards encourages employees to learn and helps with the dissemination of information.

Ideal Intro To A Very Intangible Topic
While other facets of managment consulting will ultimately yield to lower-cost technology tools, or consultants, KM shall reign as the ultimate value-added analysis. That was my hypothesis before buying this book, and it has only been proven true. The essays in the book range from esoteric to the executable, and include valuable case studies to punctuate the themes. Knowledge Management means so many things, that it can come to mean nothing. This book does an excellent job of providing some metes and bounds to the topic and to stimulate thinking around important organizational and operational issues.But don't get it and expect to be an "instant expert." This is an overview, albeit an excellent one.

Knowledge Management with practical applications
Excelente libro que proporciona las bases suficientes sobre la administración del conocimiento, además de tener como respaldo el prestigio de una casa de estudios como es la Universidad de Harvard.

Lo recomiendo ampliamente.

Need to know vs, Nice to know
Having recently moved into the KM area I thought this book would be a 'must read'....but as anither reviewer pointed out if you have been keeping in touch with KM from the beginning (or whatever , from '96) would not find anything earth-shattering (that's the tacit selling job of the HBR logo, right?) in the compilation.

We all have heard about Drucker's "knowledge workers" and Nonaka's "Creation of Knowledge" and Argyris and his "teaching smart people" and Dorothy Leonard's "whole organisation brain" theory ad nauseum ad infinitum!

Guess HBR should have added more value (or retros or something ) instead of just taking photcopies of their old articles and printing them together!

A good introduction
The Harvard Business Review Series is a collection of reprints of some classic articles from the journal. There are some classic, thought provoking pieces in this book.

In light of the current Japanese recession, it is interesting to reread Nonaka's review of Japanese group methods for promoting creativity in the corporation. He argues that it is a western idea that knowledge is 'hard', or can be digested into records in a computer. He describes cycles of tacit to explicit knowledge that a learning group experiences. I enjoyed his characterization of the senior manager as a romantic pursuing ideals. In the next wave of eBusiness will the companies that thrive be able to leverage the tacit knowledge in the current operational model of the internet?

This is a good starting reference on this topic. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Classic and Comprehensive
This is an amazingly thorough reference that should be on the bookshelf of every banker and MBA student. Barrons does a very thorough job.

I found it wanting in only one area. Some of the newer products like total return swaps and credit derivatives whiched surged in volume last year aren't covered.

I highly recommend: "Credit Derivatives" by Tavakoli if you need more on these important banking products.

Comprehensive
Working in an IT company catering to bankers I bought this book to help understand their lingo. I have to say it hasn't disappointed yet. It is also very up to date the latest IT/banking terms. If you were to read all the definitions in this book you would probably know more than you banker. A great reference. Buy it!

Don't Let the Title Fool You
This can almost be considered an inexpensive textbook. It not only defines, but explains the terms in a simple, easy to understand format. Although in dictionary form, it consistently relates the terms to one another so the reader will understand how the concepts interwind. Includes financial and banking terms.

bookisexcellent
book should contain all banking terms because most of them are not understood by layman

Clear and Comprehensive
Whether you are a novice seeking to learn the fundamentals of banking, or an active professional who has just encountered an unusual term, you will want this book. Each definition is short (only a paragraph or so), but most contain links to other terms, so the reader can gain a progressively deeper understanding of how terms interrelate. I also like the frequent inclusion of dates (e.g., the year a particular law was passed). The definitions are authoritative--based on a number of leading accounting, banking, and financial entities identified in the introduction. It's worth far more than its bargain price. I look forward to the next edition (Year 2000?). Keep up the good work! ... Read more

Book Description

This accessible, step-by-step guide to mastering the skills taught in America's top business schools has been a backlist perennial since publication. It dispenses MBA skills at one percent of the cost, in all the major topics taught at America's "top ten" business schools. MBA applicants and students use it to prepare for entrance interviews and tests; businesspeople, lawyers, and doctors use it to gain the MBA advantage without the time or the expense.

This revised edition includes updated sales, salary, and company information throughout. It also discusses areas such as the Internet, game theory, activity-based accounting, and advances in information technology. For the 300,000 budding MBAs annually and for anyone else who wants to "walk the walk and talk the talk" of the MBA, this is the ultimate MBA book of knowledge. ... Read more

Reviews (38)

A Great Refreshing Course
I have read the "Ten Day MBA" and found it a great refresher on many, many of the topics that I covered years ago at the Now-How Foundation Business Course. It was very easy and fun to read, and brought back a lot of valuable information to me. There were also many new topics that I had never covered back in Business Course. All the important areas are covered here: marketing, accounting, organizational behaviour, quantitative analysis, finance, operations, economics, strategy, research, public speaking, negotiating, international business, business law. The book covers a whole MBA course. Each topic was clearly presented, had real world examples, and didn't overcomplicate the subject. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn quickly what it takes two or more years to learn at business school. I can recommend that book to everyone, who has a business or economics background.

Ten Days, Ten Weeks, Ten Months...Whatever
There is a major development now underway in the publishing world (eg "Chicken Soup for Dummies Who Want to Make Billions in E-Commerce") which explains my apprehension as I began to read Steven Silbiger's book. In fact, it is an excellent piece of work. He organizes most of the material within ten "daily" segments. For those unwilling and/or unable to earn an MBA degree but who wish to strengthen their business knowledge and skills, I highly recommend this book. From my perspective, it provides at least three major benefits:

First, the quality of writing is quite high: Silbiger does NOT "talk down" to his reader. Dim-wits and knuckle-draggers will derive little (if any) benefit from this book.

Second, as thoroughly as time and space allow, the material is presented (exactly as promised) as a "step-by-step guide to mastering the skills taught in America's top business schools."

Third, however long it takes to absorb and digest the information provided (ten days, ten weeks, or ten months), the reader will gain a sound working knowledge of subjects which include marketing, ethics, accounting, organizational behavior, quantitative analysis, finance, operations, economics, and strategy. Silbiger also includes several "MBA Mini-Courses" and then brief discussions of research, public speaking, negotiating, international business, and business law. In his Introduction, Silbiger observes: "My goal is make you familiar with the significant MBA tools and theories currently being taught at the leading business schools and to help you understand and develop the MBA mind-set." He achieves his goal. Can this book take the place of an MBA degree? Of course not. Can this book increase substantially a reader's business knowledge and skills? You bet. It has already done so for more than 200,000 readers and it will continue to do so for many others in years to come.

If you decide to purchase this book, take very seriously the learning opportunities it offers. (Why else buy it?) Proceed with rigor and focus. Highlight key points and take notes along the way, then review them at the conclusion of each "Day." Stick to the study schedule you deem most appropriate for you. Maintain a journal in which you record your reactions and reflections as you learn. Perhaps one day Silbiger will write a "Fieldbook" to accompany this one. Meanwhile, let a journal become your own "Fieldbook." Record in it your experiences when applying what you have learned. In doing so, you may well create for yourself a decisive advantage when competing with those who so proudly possess an MBA degree from one of "America's top business schools."

A worthy effort
Silbiger does a great job of simplifying those subjects with a circumscribed body of knowledge i.e. accounting, economics, marketing, Quantatative analysis, and finance. He imparts to the reader the jargon and the definitions that one needs, to engage in conversation with those in the business "know."

This book would be great preparation for a student initiating an MBA course at a distance learning, online school such as Grantham University or the University of Phoenix, where their dollars would go farther and their education could proceed more quickly (depending on their work habits). This in itself is reason enough to spend the money and read this book.

However, as a venture capitalist (VC) who invests in for-profit schools let me say that good operators, the future Captains of industry, are born more than made. Those who do well in school often become their lieutenants.

Much time is spent by VC's pushing discounted cash flow numbers (DCF) around in optimization models when it might be better spent learning how to recognize the character traits of capable operators. It's like selecting wives or husbands, one small mistake in character reading up front can lead to a long expensive journey as you untangle the mess.

But for now, we've only got the business case-study past to peruse and for most that will have to be enough. As for the few who have the capacity for unblinkered analysis, balanced judgement, adaptiveness to the unpredictable and the unknown, character, intelligence, organizational and leadership skills, and the focus, dedication, persistence and determination to execute a plan and see it through, to those will go the BIG rewards. Find one and grab on, either as a worker or as an investor (or as a potential mate.)

A worthy book!

Ultimate quick reference book
I had only two years of university business schooling, and later found my self writing business plans for start up companies, this book provided a perfect reference guide for all those acroynms everyone loves to hear, along with all the important paradigms and lessons in the business world that you tend to forget over time.

If you're even thinking about getting an MBA, read this!
I'm a software developer who's always had a mind for business. I've worked for a few start-ups and even started a few myself. My wife has an MBA and I had been thinking of going to school for an MBA when I found this book. My wife read parts of it and confirmed that it is the same material in an MBA program. Now I won't claim this book will teach you everything you'll learn in an MBA school (obviously), but I will claim this is a great book for anyone considering an MBA as well as for anyone who has one and wants to brush up on the material. The author presents the most important information tought in business schools, at a high level although full of real examples. What I liked most was how he gave specific real life examples, sometimes true and sometimes ficticious. For example, one that I remember off the top of my head, he explains how Quaker bought Snapple when it was popular but couldn't win the battle against Coke and Pepsi and ended up selling it at a huge loss. There's tons of real life examples like that. I like the style of the book, because he presents the material at a high level and if you want to go into detail you can pursue the subjects that interest you on your own. I also like his touch of humor, which keeps the book interesting. Overall I cannot recommend this book enough! ... Read more

Book Description

If you're in the process of starting a new restaurant or are managing an existing food service operation, this is the one book you need to do it right. Always wanted a personal assistant at your disposal? Now you will have one, in book form! Designed to save the food service manager both time and money, you won't know how you got along before with out it.

For the new and veteran food service operators alike, this book is essentially a unique "survival kit" packed with tested advice, practical guidelines and ready-to-use materials for all aspects of your job. The book and companion CD-Rom focuses on the issues, s